Salt & Pepper opens in old Riley's location

Salt & Pepper is the new breakfast and lunch spot at 268 Lincoln St., Worcester, in space formerly occupied by a local landmark: Riley's Restaurant.

The place is owned and operated by Katerina Kakouros and her husband, George Christophilopoulos, and Marina Kakouros (Katerina's sister) and her husband, Othon Zacharias.

The owners have spruced up the space with a fresh coat of paint, new seating etc., doing all the work themselves. They spent a month on renovations and opened the restaurant about three months ago.

Katerina and Marina Kakouros and a brother were born in Worcester, but have lived most of their lives in Greece.

The women, their spouses and children came to Worcester about a year ago. The family has relatives in the city, according to Marina Kakouros, who said her parents remain in Greece. Othon Zacharias was in the restaurant business for 20 years in Greece. His specialty: "authentic Italian cuisine."

The Lincoln Street location is perfect for a small neighborhood business, said Marina Kakouros. "We all work in the restaurant, and we know we can succeed here," she said.

All the food served at Salt & Pepper is made from scratch, according to Kakouros. Daily specials are posted on a blackboard, and in March the owners plan to introduce one or two Greek dishes on the menu. "It won't be every day, just here and there," said Kakouros about the specialties.

There is off-street parking and in the public parking lot next to North End Market, across the street from Salt & Pepper.

The breakfast menu offers something for everyone's taste. The portion sizes are what I consider "normal," and the presentation and quality are very good. The home fries seasoned with rosemary and thyme are not greasy, as is sometimes the norm in diners and breakfast spots.

Personally, I don't go for home fries drenched with grease and floating on my plate.

I won't list the entire breakfast menu, but I will tell you that French toast at Salt & Pepper is made using a recipe similar to the Greek tsoureki, a sweet yeast bread considered a staple during Greek Easter.

The lunch menu includes daily specials and soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, burgers, baguettes, quesadillas, super clubs and sides. There is a kids' menu.

Fish and chips, $8.95, served with homemade coleslaw and tartar sauce and french fries is available Wednesdays and Fridays. You also can opt for a fish sandwich, $7.95.

Salt & Pepper definitely is a new place to check out.

It's free pancakes at IHOP restaurants nationwide on March 4, which just happens to be National Pancake Day.

Here's the deal: IHOP will offer each guest a free short stack of its buttermilk pancakes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at participating IHOP restaurants. Note: There is a limit of one free short stack per guest.

In return, guests are encouraged to make a voluntary contribution to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. IHOP would like to raise $3 million this year, with a goal to bring the total amount of funds raised to nearly $16 million for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and other local charities.

Visit www.ihoppancakeday.com to find a local IHOP, or to donate online.

National Pancake Day Fun Facts: IHOP served 4.5 million free pancakes on National Pancake Day 2013, and pancake lovers donated $3 million to children's charities.

Since the inception of National Pancake Day in 2006, IHOP has raised nearly $13 million and given away more than 22 million pancakes to support charities in communities where it operates.

For more information, visit http://www.woodstockinn.com/specials-packages, or call (888) 481-8802.

Guests will be able to learn about maple syrup production at nearby Sugarbush Farm, which provides sugarhouse tours, a nature trail to see the sugar maple trees and sampling of four grades of 100 percent pure Vermont maple syrup.

Maple Madness weekend takes place March 22-23. Woodstock will celebrate all things maple with a maple celebration at Suicide Six ski resort, a maple-themed scavenger hunt and a "muddy maple" bike ride.

The menu at The Red Rooster, the resort's award-winning fine dining restaurant, and Richardson's Tavern, which boasts a cozy old-word atmosphere, will feature a maple syrup themed menu with items that include maple BBQ pulled pork, maple braised beef short ribs and a "plentiful pour" of maple syrup on pancakes, waffles and ice cream.

For beer lovers: Atlas Distributing Inc. in Auburn recently announced the official draft beer release for D.G. Yuengling and Sons.

The brewing company, established in 1829, has headquarters in Pottsville, Pa.

The distributor's message: "Atlas, Yuengling and our customers are pleased to bring America's oldest brewery with their 186 years of brewing excellence to the great folks of Worcester, Middlesex and Norfolk counties."

Bars, taverns and restaurants in Central Massachusetts have received their first orders of Yuengling Lager, Light Lager and Black & Tan, according to a spokesman for Atlas.

FYI: Julio's Liquors in Westboro in its recent newsletter announced it would have Yuengling in the store beginning March 3.

A wine dinner, Wines of Gerard Bertrand "European Winery of the Year," will be held at 6 p.m. March 13 at Jopa's Webster House Restaurant, 1 Webster St., Worcester.

Castle Hill Inn will kick off the event with a four-course dinner at 6:30 p.m. March 7.

The inn's executive chef Karsten Hartt and chef George Mendes of Aldea, a Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City, will create the menu. Bartholomew Broadbent of Broadbent Selections will pair wines with courses.

Castle Hill Inn will offer the exclusive pairing menu to guests for the entire week, along with a travel package for those looking to dine and stay at the historic Relais & Chateaux property.

For more information about the kickoff dinner and the "Dining and Stay Experience," visit www.castlehillinn.com.

If you have a tidbit for the column, call (508) 868-5282. Send email to bhoulefood@gmail.com.

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